Laha Latches Onto Great Southern Billiards Win

Duke Laha narrowly escaped Rod Rentz to take top honors at the August 11-12 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour after having gone undefeated to the finals. The amateur 9-ball tournament featured a $1,500-added prize purse and hosted a full field at Johnny Archer’s Marietta Billiard Club in Marietta, GA.

Duke Laha narrowly escaped Rod Rentz to take top honors at the August 11-12 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour after having gone undefeated to the finals. The amateur 9-ball tournament featured a $1,500-added prize purse and hosted a full field at Johnny Archer’s Marietta Billiard Club in Marietta, GA.

Unchallenged until his final match with Rentz, Laha easily handled Toppy Athakhanh in the winners’ side final four 9-2, as Rentz took down Tommy Najar 9-3 in the other bracket. Laha then rolled over Rentz to take the hot seat 9-3 and await a finals opponent.

Najar scrambled to stay alive on the west side of the chart, whitewashing Clay Fisher 9-0. Athakhanh ended up tied with Fisher after being eliminated in fifth place by Josh Roberts 11-5. Najar then nudged aside Roberts in the quarterfinals 9-6.

Rentz put an end to Najar’s day in the semifinals, ousting him 9-4 to earn a rematch with Laha for the title. The first set of the double-elimination final match was tooth and nail, as Rentz eked out a 9-8 victory to force a second set. Laha, though, had had enough and quickly put an end to the bout 9-4 for the win.